On May 27, Judge Kevin Cox of the Third Judicial Circuit Court in Wayne County granted a permanent injunction that blocks Wayne Disposal from accepting radioactive waste from Manhattan Project-era cleanup sites managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
After the order, state Rep. Reggie Miller, D-Van Buren Township, issued the following statement:
“Today’s ruling is a major victory for the people of Van Buren Township, Belleville, Romulus, Sumpter, Canton and communities across Wayne County who stood up and made it clear that we are not a dumping ground for dangerous radioactive waste. The court recognized what residents and local leaders have been saying all along, which is that this waste posed a real threat to public health, environmental safety and the shared resources our communities rely on every day.
“I have been closely working on this issue from the beginning, and I made it clear that our communities deserve better than being forced to carry long-term risks tied to decisions made outside of Michigan.
“This outcome did not happen by accident. It happened because residents spoke up, local governments took action, advocates stayed engaged and people refused to back down when faced with a dangerous status quo. This ruling is very powerful because the courts validated what residents and elected officials have been saying. This wasn’t just a permitting controversy; it was a public health and community protection issue.
“For far too long, families in western Wayne County have had to shoulder risks that no community should be forced to carry, especially near neighborhoods, schools and daycares, senior living facilities, and critical waterways connected to the Huron River and the Great Lakes. This ruling is an important and hard-fought affirmation that public health and community safety still matter.
“While today is a major win, the work is not done. Michigan still needs stronger laws and safeguards to ensure that no community is ever put in this position again. We need lasting protections that prioritize people over corporate profits and convenience as well as ensuring transparency, accountability and long-term safety.
“I will continue pushing for legislative action that protects our residents, our water, and our future. Our communities deserve nothing less,” Rep. Miller concluded.
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